Notes and Editorial Reviews
THE CHANTS OF MARY
•
Gloriae Dei Cantores men’s schola
•
GLORIAE DEI GDCD 055 (SACD: 65:19
Text and Translation)
THE CHANTS OF ANGELS
•
Gloriae Dei Cantores schola
•
GLORIAE DEI GDCD 051 (SACD: 59:14
Text and Translation)
This chant schola, made up of
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members of the choir on Cape Cod, has recorded chant under Mary Berry and Richard Pugsley. For their two latest discs, the members of the schola divided the programs among themselves and took turns preparing and directing the chants. Seven men of the schola are on the latest disc, while seven women join them for the earlier disc. In the first (but newer) disc, the 24 selections range from the most familiar Marian chants to three unrecorded pieces. The latter include the responsory
Benedicta et venerabilis
, the Assumption hymn
O prima Virgo prodita
, and the antiphon
Beata es Virgo Maria Dei genitrix
, as well as only the second recording of the responsory
Repleta est Spiritu Sancto
. The familiar chants include the four final antiphons, distributed through the program in pairs (simple and solemn settings).
The excellence of interpretation is not surprising, for the first members of Gloriae Dei Cantores spent some time at Cambridge studying chant with Mary Berry in the 1980s, and she came to Cape Cod for many summer sessions until her lamented passing. Her influence has endured in the skillful semiological interpretations of these chants. All of the hymns are sung complete and the graduals include the repeat of the respond. It would be hard to single out a few pieces for special praise, but the sequence
Stabat mater
, which ends the program, is superbly executed through its five-minute length. The verses of the offertory
Ave Maria
, too, are expertly rendered; not only is this one of the most frequently recorded chants, but it is also one of the most frequently recorded offertories with verses.
In the other disc, released a year ago, the 18 selections include another three first recordings, the hymn
Festiva vos
, the antiphon
Angelis suis
, and the alleluia
Benedicite Domino
. The hymn
Custodes hominum
has only its second recording. The offertory
Immittet Angelus
is recorded with all three verses for the first time, and the offertory
Stetit Angelus
has its single verse. This program has few of the most familiar chants. The two scholas, men and women, sing most of the selections separately, joining to alternate in the verses of hymns and only rarely concluding a chant with octave singing.
The recordings, among the first Super Audio productions on this label, were made in the new Church of the Transfiguration, which the ecumenical community built on the grounds of their complex. The surround sound provides a nice sense of space around the singers. Since thematic programs focused on chants of the Blessed Virgin and the angels are so common, these discs are notable for containing some unusual selections. While I have always approved the schola’s chant recordings, these two discs attain a new height of excellence, the best chant singing of any American choir. The booklets are attractively printed, too. Both discs will grace any chant collection.
FANFARE: J. F. Weber
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Works on This Recording
1.
Stabat Mater dolorosa by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
2.
Signum magnum by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
3.
Salve Regina by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Renaissance
4.
O gloriosa Domina by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
5.
Gloria by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
6.
Gaudens gaudebo by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
7.
Felix es sacra Virgo Maria by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Renaissance
Written: Portugal
8.
Benedicta et venerabilis es by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
9.
Benedicta es tu, Virgo Maria by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
10.
Beata es Maria by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
11.
Ave regina caelorum by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
12.
Ave maris stella by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
13.
Ave Maria, offertory by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
Written: Europe
14.
Ave Maria by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
15.
Alma Redemptoris mater by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
Period: Medieval
Written: 10th Century
16.
Alleluia Assumpta est Maria by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
17.
O Prima, Virgo, prodita by Anonymous
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola
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